How to Compress Data and take its Backup December 11, 2014October 23, 2018 Vikas Data Management Data Compression is a process that involves encoding files in such a way that it squeezes information so that the file occupies lesser disk space. The technique of data compression works similar to telephone lines where multiple voice calls are transmitted over leased lines. The same holds true for routers, modems and many other modern-day instruments. Just before you create a backup of the data, it is best to scan the data to prevent any duplicate data being included in the backup, and hence leading to inefficient utilization of the storage medium as well as causing of clutter. Sweep Duplicates and Create Backup of Data Clone Files Checker follows Google Software Principles 3 Bit and 7 Bit ASCII Codes Data stored in a file contains repetition of different letters. Uncompressed data uses 7 bit ASCII Code which represents alphanumeric characters, whereas compressed data uses 3 bit ASCII Code which represents eight most common letters. Data Compression Algorithms with Examples Data Compression can be classified into two categories namely: Lossy Compression It is assumed that nominal loss of data is acceptable during the process. Video Conferencing Video conferencing is one of the practical examples that employs Lossy Compression. Frame loss up to a certain extent is usually acceptable unless it is large in nature. Graphics In case of image files, the compression process may lead to loss of color depth, image resolution etc. The image file may also become “fragmented”, i.e. a small part of the file may look like separate and different from the rest of the image. The quality of high-resolution images may be adversely affected as well. Audio & Video Files The same holds true for audio and video files. The file is generally considered acceptable unless there is a huge change in audio/video quality. Lossless Compression The concept of lossless compression is totally different in nature, quality and significance. There is no loss of data at all and everything is decoded back without any compromise in quality and resolution. Zip and GNU tool GZip are commonly known for applying the lossless compression algorithm. Sensitive Financial Records Sensitive financial records can be compressed in this way as any loss of data is not permissible and affordable for the company. Documents When it comes to compressing documents, statistical modeling algorithms are used such as Context-tree Weighting (CTW), Burrows-Wheeler Transform, LZ77, LZW, PPMd, and so on. Executable Programs and Software Source Codes Executable programs and software source codes are usually compressed in two steps. The file compressor software generates a statistical model and then maps input data in bit sequence. Multimedia Objects, Sound Files & Graphics In this case, every pixel in a multimedia file is replaced by the difference to its left neighbor. The only exception is that of the first pixel. Sound files are known for low volumes and low frequencies. Image files can also be compressed by lossless compression in order to preserve the image quality and resolution. After going through all the above examples it can be seen that there is no set rule which determines the algorithm that should be adopted in each case and file type. It solely depends on the user’s requirements and for adopting the right algorithm. Simplest Way to Compress and Backup your Data in Microsoft Windows Delete Duplicate Files In Windows, you need a third-party software to compress and backup the data. However, it is strongly recommended to delete all the duplicate files in order to save large disk space. Lesser the data, lesser will be the processing time for compressing and extracting the information. Clone Files Checker user interface Download Clone Files Checker, a utility that identifies identical files stored on your hard disk. Double-click the downloaded setup, follow the installer instructions. Open the program. Add new directories for the scan. On the left-hand corner of the screen, you’ll see “Include to scan” and “Exclude to scan” tabs to add and remove directories respectively. Customize the Search Options. Select “All Files” option if you want to search all sorts of identical files. To customize the scan further and include only specific file types, select the “Custom” option. Documents, archives, music, videos, and images are default categories available for the scan. There is also a size specific feature which allows you to ignore files smaller than and/ or larger than a particular file size. This is a completely optional feature. You can specify a file size in terms of KB, MB or GB. Now you can initialize the scan process. Click the “Start” button and this sets the ball rolling. It may take several minutes to complete the scan. After successful completion, Scan Results will be displayed on the screen. “Quick Fix” and “Review & Fix” buttons will be displayed. The former automatically deletes the duplicate files- either newer or old versions whichever you prefer. The latter shows a list of all duplicate files in a listbox. Apparently, you can select the files and take action accordingly. Some Other Important Features One important thing- no duplicate files will be removed without the user’s consent. This implies that the user will be able to choose from 4 options namely Permanently Delete (With Backup), Permanently Delete (Without Backup), Move to Recycle Bin, Move to Folder. Another very handy feature is the Scan History which allows the user to restore items from the backup. Clone Files Checker also provides the facility to the user to add or remove extensions into the predefined file categories. They can totally alter the list from the software preferences, add new extensions or even remove existing ones. The user can even export the list of all duplicate files along with their parent directories to a document for future reference. Compress and Backup the Files After successfully deleting the duplicate files, now its time to compress and backup the files. The steps are as follows: Download Free 7Zip File Manager, WinZip, WinRAR, or any other file compression software you like. There are both freeware and premium. Launch the 7Zip File Manager. Double click on the Computer icon in the File Browser within the software’s user interface. Locate the parent folders which contain the files you want to compress. Select multiple files and folders and then click on the “Add” icon. Next, the Add to Archive dialog box pops up. Type a name for the archive file, for example, My Files.7z. You may also select a different file format such as .ZIP, .TAR and so on. Set a Compression Level. There are many levels, ranging from Store to Ultra. Otherwise, set the default “Normal”. You may also customize the options further. Set a different Compression Method, specify a password for the encrypted file, and so on. Most importantly, if you’re looking to update the compressed file whenever the original file is changed, you may have to select “Synchronize Files” option under “Update Mode” drop down box. Else, leave the default “Add and replace files” option selected. Finally, click OK to proceed further. The process may take a while depending on the file size. On a concluding note, it is very critical to identify and get rid of duplicate files before you go for compressing your files. These two methods will help save several GBs of your hard disk and you won’t have to pay large bills for premium cloud services or buy an external hard disk drive. Compressing Files in the Mac Operating System When it comes to the OS the things are pretty simple. To zip a file all you have to do is right-click the selection of multiple files and simply choose the “Compress” option.